Part 17 (1/2)
The door to the canteen opens and Hayley and Eloise exit with their bags in hand. ”What happened?” They both say at the same time.
”Jinx.” Eloise laughs and slaps her hand over Hayley's mouth. ”Need a hand?”
”I've got it.” I look at the huge bulk of bags on each of my arms. ”I just miscalculated the distance between this side and the ladder.”
”Lucky n.o.body was on it,” she mutters and looks at her friend, who still has her mouth clamped shut after being jinxed. ”I'm helping.”
”No...” I try, but she's already grabbing bags off my right arm and is carrying them towards the staff room. ”Okay then.”
Hayley hums and pats me on the arm before pointing to her mouth. I know she's asking me to free her of the childish prank, but in all honesty... ”I don't know your whole name, so I can't help.”
She huffs and follows Eloise, who's only a few steps ahead.
”Where's the plucky kid with the list?” I ask as we walk through the dark and quiet hallway.
”He'll be here tomorrow to arrange everything.” Eloise responds and yawns into her arm since her hands are full of bags that contain costumes.
”You're overworking yourself.” I tell her when she yawns twice in a row.
”Probably, but it'll be so worth it.”
I frown at her smile and shake my head in annoyance. ”It doesn't matter. We can handle it. I've hardly done anything.”
”You picked up the costumes and tomorrow you're coming in to supervise.”
I am? ”I am?”
”Well, you did just volunteer yourself.” She sn.i.g.g.e.rs with Hayley and pushes the staffroom door open. ”Just put the bags in the corner. Aiden can handle the tagging. He'll have them all organised in a third of the time it'd take us.” Hayley growls through her closed lips, her eyes demanding her release. Eloise brushes her off and drops her bags in the corner. ”It's nice to have quiet. I'll let you out of it when my ears stop bleeding.” At this I laugh. You can tell they've been friends for a long time because, even though Hayley acts insulted, the way she looks at her friend says she cares for her a lot and finds her insult amusing.
”Are you both ready for the scare night?” I deposit my bags on the ground and smooth my s.h.i.+rt down.
”Stop poking me,” Eloise snaps at Hayley, who only starts to do it more, aiming for her friend's shoulder, cheek and pretty much anywhere that looks soft and sensitive. ”Umm... I guess. There's so much to take care of. Mrs Carey is working on the scripts and music; pretty much every teacher in school is involved. We have to get the decor done as soon as possible so we can start practising.” She slaps at her friends hands and soon enough both of them are slapping at the air between them like a couple of cats. I keep walking as it's probably best to stay out of this one. ”Fine, fine! Hayley Georgia Westbrook. Happy?”
Hayley flexes her jaw and nods excitedly. ”Yes, but now I don't know what to say.”
”Good.” Eloise pokes her friend and turns back to me. ”Are you sure you're okay with your role?”
Am I? ”Do I have a choice?”
”Nope.”
”Then I guess I'll have to be.”
She nudges Hayley and laughs. ”Why can't everybody be as easily accepting as he is?”
”I'm still not being the ghost girl.”
”I already found a better candidate to play ghost girl! I told you that yesterday.”
”Oh...”
Eloise yawns again and stops for a second. ”I am so tired. I swear to G.o.d, I could just sleep right here.”
”Maybe you should go home?” I suggest and instantly regret it when her eyes, blazing with determination, burn me to ash on the ground. ”Or not. It's your choice.”
”I'm fine. I'm allowed to moan about being tired, because I am tired, but that doesn't mean I'm about to give up.”
”I could kill for a bacon sandwich right now,” Hayley puts in randomly and rubs her stomach. ”With ketchup and b.u.t.ter and it has to be on one of those crusty rolls. You know? The ones that crunch when you bite into them.”
Great, now I'm hungry.
”Go have your lunch. I need to get back to the hall.” Eloise pushes her friend towards the exit. ”Call me later.”
”Remember to plan something for your birthday!” Hayley calls as she walks backwards away from us.
”Okay,” Eloise responds flippantly as her thumbs scroll over her phone screen. We walk in silence for a few steps before she stops and curses. ”Sorry, I just closed something I needed open.” I stand and wait and realise there's no reason I should be standing and waiting.
But I am.
Why?
”I should go.”
Eloise looks at me and tilts her head, seemingly confused at what I just said.
”Unless you need something?”
”No, I just forgot what I wanted to ask you.” Well that explains the confusion.
”You wanted to ask me something?” Now I'm interested.
She scratches her neck and looks around as if willing the answer to appear. ”Yeah, it couldn't have been important.” She shakes her head and starts walking, her eyes on her phone once more. ”Speak to you later, Mr Price.”
My body goes tense and my heart beats painfully for a few seconds. I can't decipher the pain or why I'm feeling it. ”Speak to you later, Miss Blackburn.”
She waves a hand at me as she saunters away, her mind in another place.
I watch her vanish through the double doors of the hall and that pain returns. It's sharp and irritating. It's something I've never felt before.
I should start eating healthier; it feels like it could be my heart.
Chapter Thirteen.
Eloise ”Eloise, would you please be a dear and warm my tea up for me? I'm afraid it's gone cold during our engaging conversation.” Mrs Price, who insists I call her by her actual name, Judith, says and holds her mug out to me.
I smile, happy to help, and take the mug into the kitchen.